Suffering from some back to school blues? You are not alone! Teacher anxiety hits so many of us this time of year. These ten tips can help you avoid teacher burnout and set you up for a wonderful school year!
Summertime is amazing. In fact, summer break may be one of the greatest perks of being a school teacher. My summer has been filled with hiking, camping, backyard s’mores, endless evening walks with my kids, and tons of late-night Netflix binges. It has been glorious. But whether I like it or not, summertime is coming to an end.
While I can’t hide a bit of excitement about a brand new school year (oh the lovely sharp pencils and the still-crisp notebook paper!), each and every year my teacher anxiety ramps up and I get a bad case of the back to school blues. I can’t help it. They set in about mid-July and are my pesky little sidekick until school begins in August.
I recently reached out to our email community and a few of you via Instagram to ask this question: How do YOU beat the back to school blues? Also, what are the specific steps you take to manage your teacher anxiety. Teacher anxiety totally flares up right around back to school time. The responses and wisdom were fantastic and I am so excited to share them with a few more teachers. I’m totally following these steps myself and hoping that they can help anyone else who may be struggling this year.
TEN WAYS TO BEAT THE BACK TO SCHOOL BLUES
1. BUY YOURSELF SOMETHING NEW
A brand new back to school outfit can lift your mood and give you confidence. And if you save it for the first day of school it gives you a little something to look forward to. A fresh set of flair pens, a new teacher planner, a new water bottle, a fun new lanyard…the possibilities are endless! It doesn’t have to be big or expensive, just a little something that makes you happy.
2. DO SOMETHING TO SPRUCE UP YOUR CLASSROOM
You don’t have to spend a fortune and do a massive classroom makeover if you don’t want to. A cute new border or bulletin board set is all it takes to give your home-away-from-home a little freshening up. It may be something for the students like a crisp new set of alphabet posters. Or it may be something for YOU like a mini-fridge or a potted plant. Pick something that makes YOU feel happy in your space!
3. GET CREATIVE
Identify some kind of problem you had in your classroom or curriculum last year and see what you can do to solve it! Maybe your behavior system wasn’t as effective as you’d hoped. Maybe the student headphones always got tangled up in a jumbled mess. Get your wheels turning or do a little bit of Pinterest-ing and find a solution! Last year my readers came into first grade at extra low levels. I did some figuring out, came up with my own sound wall, and solved the problem!
4. REMEMBER WHY YOU GOT YOURSELF INTO THIS
Teachers are the best sort of people and they go into teach for all the right reasons. You probably wanted to make a difference. Maybe you love being with children. Perhaps you wanted to impact lives in an extremely meaningful way. Maybe teaching is just the right outlet for your creative, problem-solving streak. Remember why you started this.
5. APPRECIATE THE GOOD THAT YOU DO
You are a rockstar. All teachers are. You work tirelessly over the entire year with the goal of helping children progress. You are amazing and deserve to be told so. Take a minute to say some affirmations to yourself so that you don’t forget these truths. Here are a few to get you started: “I am a good teacher. I am a hard worker. My students are positively impacted by my efforts.”
6. EMBRACE THE FRESH START
In Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery, Marilla states “Tomorrow is always fresh, with no mistakes in it yet.” A new school year is something of a blank slate with endless amounts of possibility. So much opportunity to make a positive and satisfying impact is right ahead of us. Don’t let the pressure mount (go away, teacher anxiety)…just realize the gift that is a fresh start.
7. ASK FOR SUPPORT
There is no shame in telling others when you are struggling and feeling overwhelmed. Identify several people that you trust and can go to with your back to school blues, if needed. Think of a coworker that you can confide in, or a family member or close friend. Sometimes just talking about our worries to those we trust can have a calming and empowering effect.
8. REWARD YOURSELF
A college professor told me that she always asked her husband to buy her a bouquet of flowers on the first day of school. She came home to them after that long first day and instantly felt empowered. Buy one for yourself if necessary or reward yourself in some other way. My tradition is to always go to a delicious restaurant for dinner with my family on that first day of school. Because there is no way I am cooking dinner or doing dishes on the first day of school!
9. SCHEDULE TIME TO RELAX
The back to school season is busy and crazy and sometimes feels out of control…but it won’t last forever. Schedule yourself a little time each night or on the weekend to RELAX and do something entirely NOT related to school. Watch a show, read a book, take a bath, go on a walk. Do whatever you need to in order to catch your breath, relax, and rejuvenate.
10. DON’T THINK ABOUT SCHOOL…FOR A BIT
You don’t have to live and breath all things school and work-related for all of August. You just don’t. While there is definitely a to-do list and things that need to be attended to, you can turn off your teacher brain for a minute or two. Your teacher anxiety will thank you.
There you have it! I sincerely hope that some of these tips can benefit you as you face your back to school season and a new school year. As a seasoned anxiety-ridden teacher I can promise you that if you devote a little bit of time to serving yourself your mental health will thank you and you will be on track to a wonderful school year. Feel free to reach out to me via shipshapeelementary@gmail.com or with a comment below if you want to talk more! Wishing you all the best, teacher friend!
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